Donations

Donating Money

Donations are critical to creating and sustaining exceptional libraries. While tax dollars keep the doors open and provide for the basics, we rely on donations to provide a thought-provoking range of books, e-books and other materials and also to support special programs and services for all segments of our community.

You can make a difference starting right now! Financial donations can be made in a several ways for a variety of purposes:

Please read our Gifts Policy for details. For more information, call the library director’s office at 207-513-3119.

Donating Materials (03/13/2020: The library is not accepting physical donations at this time)

We Accept

  • Books
  • CDs
  • DVDs
  • Audiobooks
  • Blu-ray
  • Video games

All donations should be in good condition and free of mold, mildew, or pests.

We Do Not Accept

  • Large quantities of books or other materials (no more than 1 box, or about 20 items, at a time, please)
  • Textbooks
  • Magazines
  • Reader’s Digest condensed books
  • Outdated media formats such as VHS or Cassette Tapes
  • Encyclopedias
  • Broken or damaged items
  • Items missing parts
  • Non-book or media items (e.g., toys, calendars, cards)
  • Personally recorded audio or video items
  • Also, due to limited storage space and staff capacity, the Library cannot accept donations of family memorabilia unless they are of unique historical significance.

How much can be donated at one time?

Generally, because of space and staff limitations, we do not accept more than 20 items at a time (about 1 box).

What happens to materials donated to LPL?

While some of the items do end up in the Library’s collection (usually as replacements for worn volumes), most will end up in the Friends of the Library’s book sale or recycled. Proceeds from sales are used to fund book purchases, library programs, special events, and other items not covered by the annual city budget.

Will I receive a receipt for my donations?

Receipts stating quantity of items donated are available upon request. We are unable to appraise donated materials.

Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021